Police: New Castle man spits blood on officer, claims he has Hepatitis C

Police: New Castle man spits blood on officer, claims he has Hepatitis C

NEW CASTLE (April 21, 2014) – A man faces several charges after police say he spit blood at a police officer who’d showed up at his home in response to a domestic disturbance.

Around 5:30 a.m. on April 12, officers from the New Castle Police Department showed up at a home in the 2200 block of Broad Street in response to a reported fight.

According to police documents, officers talked to a distraught woman who told them she feared for her life because of an argument with Anthony Hopkins, 27. Police found a broken coffee table in the home and the living room TV screen had been knocked out.

Police initially couldn’t find Hopkins but heard a noise coming from below. They went into the basement with a K9 and found Hopkins hiding near a staircase next to a crawl space. Hopkins wouldn’t come down despite repeated orders by police, police said.

Police subdued Hopkins “using the necessary amount of force,” but the man continued to struggle while being placed in handcuffs. An officer told Hopkins he was being charged with domestic battery. While being escorted out of the basement, Hopkins turned toward the officer and spit blood in his face.

“(Expletive) you, I hope you die,” Hopkins was quoted as saying. Both the officer and Hopkins fell after the exchange. Other officers gained control of the man and escorted him out of the home.

Hopkins continued to be “irate and began to scream obscenities,” police said. He claimed he had Hepatitis C and spit more blood on the back of a squad car. When medics came to check him, Hopkins yelled expletives at them, too, according to court documents.

While being taken to the Henry County Jail, Hopkins continued to hurl insults at the officer, saying, “I hope you (expletive) die, I hope you get Hep C and give it to your wife and kids. Once I get out of here, I’m going to kill you and your family…”

A breath test revealed Hopkins was intoxicated with a 0.16 blood alcohol content.

Charges against him include domestic battery, intimidation, battery by bodily fluids, resisting law enforcement and disorderly conduct.